The Deal
by TexMurphy
Summary: Another one shot from me. The Titans having a little fun and banter in the tower.


**The Deal**

by TexMurphy

"All hail Raven," cheered Beastboy breathlessly as he collapsed on to the couch. It had been a long ten minutes.

"Why yes, she is very much the heroine of this tale," added Starfire with a victorious gesture and greasy fingers.

"I have to admit, this time we couldn't have made it without her," said Robin. Even though he was busy washing the dishes, he could still waggle a foam coated finger for effect.

"All I did was-"

"Don't even think of escaping the credit," insisted Cyborg who was leaned back in his chair picking his teeth. "You've done some things in your time, but this one is the one we're all going to be talking about. This could even go down in the history books. Forever."

"_Forever_," whispered Beastboy, loudly enough to sound foreboding. Well, it did to him at least.

Raven looked left, then right, then straight ahead. Beastboy grinned back with more teeth than was healthy. "I've paid for meals before, you know."

"Oh no no, my dear Raven," mocked Beastboy. "The last time you bought us all dinner, dinosaurs roamed the Earth and humans were just a twinkle in the eye of nature's great plan."

"Yeah. Did those moths in your wallet evolve yet? Those guys must have their own language by now," quipped Cyborg "Say hello to them for me". He couldn't give Beastboy a high five from where he was sat, but the look they exchanged was good enough. Raven saw it; Raven ignored it.

"Wait, you are keeping the moths? Is this not a dangerous activity?"

"No, I'm not – I mean no I don't." She could see Robin struggling to contain his laughter from the corner of her eye. "Just because I don't have much money-"

"And _why_ don't you have much money?" Beastboy knew the answer, but he wanted to hear it anyway.

"_Because_," said Raven, chewing her words, "I don't want to dress up like a human bill board in order to make money."

"It's not like any of the rest of us had the offer," pointed out Robin. He had since calmed down and was on his way to completing the heroic washing of the dishes. Starfire helped.

"Yeah." Beast boy sat forward. "You're the only one cool enough for Uncle Joe's Pizzas. If I could get them to sponsor me I'd give anything. Just think about all the free pizza you'd get on top of the money."

"It's not like I got to choose-"

"Free pizza," repeated Beastboy seriously as he looked her in the face.

"Free pizza," said Robin, as if bringing up a new point.

"Plus you owe me about..." Cyborg brought up a calculator on his arm display. "One hundred and fifty bucks."

"Wow," whistled Beastboy. "I'm only fifty down. What did you do? Rob a bank?"

"If I robbed a bank, I would _have_ money."

"Oh, yeah. Right."

"I believe the definition of a robbery is Uncle Joe's low low prices," chirped Starfire helpfully.

"All you have to do is wear the outfit," grinned Beastboy.

"I'm not wearing the outfit."

"Don't forget I'm keeping a track of the interest on that hundred and fifty," Cyborg noted.

"Hey wait," said Beastboy as a realisation jolted him. "Are you charging me interest too?"

Beastboy turned out his pockets but all he found was an IOU to Robin. He tucked it under the cushion.

"Sure little man. I only loaned you four dollars. But that was two years ago."

"Two years? Fine, I'll bet you for it," challenged Beastboy as he stood from his seat for dramatic effect. That was probably the only way he was going to be able to pay it back anyway.

Cyborg rubbed his chin. "Alright, what's the bet?"

"If Raven dresses up for Uncle Joe's then I don't owe you anything. The fifty is wiped off."

Raven groaned. As if making fun of her wasn't incentive enough for Beastboy to get her to wear the stupid outfit, there was now money on the line – not to mention pride.

"You're on," said Cyborg as he stood. He strode over to Beastboy and they shook hands to seal the deal. "Raven," he said, without missing a beat. "I'll give you twenty five bucks off your debt if you _don't_ put on the Uncle Joe's outfit."

"Hey," cried Beastboy. "How is that even fair?" He looked over to Robin to be the arbiter, but Robin raised his hands and shook his head. He was going to watch this one from the back row.

"Well?" Cyborg repeated his offer.

"Hmm," said Raven as she mulled over the offer. "So let me get this straight. If I _wear_ the uniform, Beastboy wins and he gets let off his fifty dollar debt with you. I make money, but I look like a corporate reject." Cyborg smirked. "If I _don't_ wear the uniform, I get let off twenty five dollars and Beastboy's debt is doubled."

"_And_ you don't have to wear the uniform," Cyborg reminded her with just a little relish.

"Yeah but you can't accept," complained Beastboy, "because he can't do that."

"Why not?" Everyone was curious about that one.

"Because it's a double bet! Everyone knows you can't do that! It's not even legal. And don't we fight crime and stuff?"

"Actually I don't think so Beastboy," cut in Robin. "I've never heard about that being against the law."

Beastboy looked unbelieving, then dejected. Then he looked determined. He made his way over to the table, picking up a handily placed pencil along the way. He sat and started scribbling.

"Twenty five bucks is a lot of money." Cyborg continued with his sales pitch. "Plus you get one over on the green bean."

"That is pretty tempting..."

"Right, stop right there!" Beastboy held up the paper with some lines and numbers on it. From this distance it proved nothing.

"Right," said Raven. "And that shows... what exactly?"

"That I will give you thirty dollars to wear the uniform." Cyborg looked at Robin, who looked at Starfire.

"I am becoming confused," she said honestly. "Is this the _triple _bet?" Cyborg consulted his calculator.

"Raven, if we work together we can beat Cyborg. Look at how he's taking all our money by charging so much interest! And we're supposed to be his friends! I bet you only borrowed fifty cents!"

"Actually I borrowed one hundred and fifty dollars."

"W-what? But..."

"It's true," confirmed Cyborg. "But it doesn't matter, because she's going to side with me, aren't you Raven."

"No you can't do that! She's going to side with me! I _need_ that money. Come on Raven, I'm totally your bestest friend."

Raven was trying hard to ignore the pleading expressions that confronted her. Then she had a thought. "Fifty," she said to Beastboy. Cyborg gulped.

"But then I'm only saving..." he counted on his fingers. "Zero dollars! Why would I do that?"

"Because I don't charge interest. So you can take it or you can leave it," Raven said as she sat back, looking as pleased with herself as someone who doesn't show emotion can.

Beastboy thought about it. Cyborg contemplated it. Starfire tried to figure out just who was giving what to whom and why everyone seemed so bothered about it.

Starting to look exhausted from all the intense thinking, Beastboy nodded weakly. "Alright, I'll do it."

Raven held out her hand and Beastboy shook it. "I'll be taking that fifty dollars now."

"Okay," said Beastboy, who seemed to be recharged on shaking her hand. He had a fresh glint in his eye. Cyborg sat trying to conceal a smile.

"What?" asked Raven.

"I'll owe you it!" He laughed.

"Wait... just a minute..." She finally started to realise what had just happened.

"They got you good Raven," said Robin from his vantage point.

"How did they get her? And why was it good?" Queried Starfire.

"I'm not entirely clear on that myself," admitted Raven. "He owes me fifty dollars, so don't I win this one?"

Beastboy crossed his arms over his chest, and was just about to explain when Cyborg cut in. "You see it breaks down like this: Beastboy owed me fifty dollars. Now he owes you fifty dollars."

"But... then I still win?"

"Sure you do... until you remember how long Beastboy owed me that money. Good luck on ever getting it, by the way."

"What can I say?" admitted Beastboy with a shrug. "I'm bad with numbers. Oh, and say hello to Uncle Joe for me. Those uniforms look really itchy."


End file.
